Barrieau best to ring in new year

CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – Off-the-pace was the recipe for success for harness racing driver Gilles Barrieau as he prevailed in the both pacing features Saturday evening on a special New Year’s Eve Program at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.

Stash It Away (Pang Shui) charged hard to win the $3,500 Preferred pace in line to Gilles Barrieau for trainer Kevin MacLean and owner Reg MacPherson of Stratford. Blood Money (Driven by Campbell) cut out all the fractions but fell short in the stretch drive in 1:56.2 to finish second ahead of Mantario (David Dowling).

Barrieau also won the $3,000 Fillies and Mares Preferred Pace in a last-to-first effort with Share The Moment (Control The Moment) in 1:57.1 for trainer Bo Ford and owners Arnold Myers, Luke Beck, Scott Bridges and A1 Stable.

Marc Campbell put the finishing touches on his 13th straight season on top of the driver’s standings with a driving triple to sit at 148 wins on the calendar year. Campbell captured race 5 with newcomer Skip Across for a 2:01.2 score from the Stanley Harper barn then won race 10 with Premier Joy A from the Jennifer Doyle stable. The race 15 finale also went Campbell’s way as the Orwell driver steered Spack Jarrow to victory in 1:57.4 for trainer Raymond White. Campbell also scored the most wins of any trainer during 2022 with 66 victories from his barn.

Jason Hughes had a driving triple aboard Jordie Hope (2:02) for Brian Ladner, Elm Grove Mistress (1:57.4) for trainer Doyle and Woodmere Dealer (2:03.2) from his own barn.

Jessiejesorjessica was another part of a training triple for Doyle as the Justice Hall six-year-old won the $2,600 featured trot in 2:00.3 with Dowling above the wheels.

The duo of driver Adam Merner and trainer Melissa Rennie put together a triple winning with Ms Moyse (1:59.2), Diamond Call (2:00.2) and Hemingway (2:01).

Total wager was $150,331 on the 15-dash card.

Live racing continues Saturday, Jan. 7, at 12:30 P.M. at Red Shores Charlottetown. For more information go to Redshores.ca.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Oakes, for Red Shores